Mike Smith | DT

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It's the Lovie Smith plan. The only team to show interest in Smith as a coordinator was the Raiders, and Smith must believe he's better off sitting out 2015 than hitching his wagon to Oakland's middling unit. Smith will presumably try to land another head job in 2016, or at least have his pick of defensive jobs. Feb 2 - 1:25 PM

The Arizona Republic reports the Cardinals were interested in ex-Falcons coach Mike Smith as a senior defensive assistant, but that it "didn't work out."

The Cardinals are determined to promote from within to replace Todd Bowles, and Smith must have balked at being a mere defensive caretaker after running the entire show in Atlanta for seven years. If Smith is going to get a big-time job this offseason, his last shot appears to be Oakland's DC vacancy. Jan 29 - 7:50 PM

NBC Washington's Dianna Marie Russini reported last week that Smith was unlikely to join new coach Jack Del Rio's staff. Smith worked under Del Rio as the Jaguars' defensive coordinator from 2003-2007 before landing the Atlanta job. The Raiders are also looking at Eric Mangini for the DC gig. Jan 20 - 9:01 PM

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The Arizona Republic reports the Cardinals were interested in ex-Falcons coach Mike Smith as a senior defensive assistant, but that it "didn't work out."

The Cardinals are determined to promote from within to replace Todd Bowles, and Smith must have balked at being a mere defensive caretaker after running the entire show in Atlanta for seven years. If Smith is going to get a big-time job this offseason, his last shot appears to be Oakland's DC vacancy.

NBC Washington's Dianna Marie Russini reported last week that Smith was unlikely to join new coach Jack Del Rio's staff. Smith worked under Del Rio as the Jaguars' defensive coordinator from 2003-2007 before landing the Atlanta job. The Raiders are also looking at Eric Mangini for the DC gig.

Del Rio is currently meeting with the Raiders. Smith was Del Rio's defensive coordinator for the Jaguars from 2003-2007 when Del Rio was head coach in Jacksonville. Smith has also been loosely linked to the Giants' DC job.

Smith is said to be "well liked and respected" by coach Tom Coughlin. The two have never worked together, but Smith took over as the Jaguars' defensive coordinator in 2003, the season after Coughlin was fired by Jacksonville. Graziano mentions Bills DL coach Pepper Johnson, Ravens DBs coach Steve Spagnuolo, Falcons DC Mike Nolan, ex-Raiders coach Dennis Allen, Bills DC Jim Schwartz, and 49ers DC Vic Fangio as other candidates for the Giants' DC gig.

Smith went 66-46 in seven years at the helm of the Falcons and was the 2008 NFL Coach of the Year, but was just 1-4 in four playoff appearances and 10-22 over the last two seasons. There was no way the Falcons could bring him back, even if they somehow had made the postseason in the lowly NFC South. Smith, a defensive-minded head coach, had the league's worst defense this season and No. 27 unit in 2013. He also repeatedly bungled end-game situations. The Falcons join the 49ers and Jets as teams with head coaching vacancies so far on Black Monday.

A source tells PFT that coach Mike Smith is "absolutely done" with the Falcons.

Smith likely would have been gone even if the Falcons had beaten the Panthers Sunday and made the playoffs with a 7-9 season. He's lost his way at the end of his seven-year tenure, posting a 4-12 record last year and continuing to bungle in-game decisions. Owner Arthur Blank has already contracted a search firm to find his next head coach. Smith's official firing will likely be announced at some point Monday.

La Canfora adds that "it would take a shocking playoff run to alter that scenario." This doesn't come as a surprise. Smith has been on the job for seven seasons now, but the team has taken a few steps back the past couple years. The Falcons are said to be looking at Broncos OC Adam Gase, Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, and Stanford coach David Shaw, among others, as replacements.

The Falcons could have declined participation because they made the playoffs two years ago. Instead, they chose to volunteer. Hopefully, we'll get a glimpse into Julio Jones' rehab off another right foot surgery and rookie RB Devonta Freeman's progress. The show premiers Aug. 5.

The extensions ensure that neither man has "lame duck" status in 2014, as they're now signed through 2015. It's a vote of confidence for a regime that has gone 60-36 and been to the playoffs four times since Smith took over in 2008. Prior to his arrival, the Falcons had never even posted back-to-back winning seasons. Getting Julio Jones back healthy and making improvements defensively will go a long way toward Smith and Dimitroff getting longer extensions at this time next year.

Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff strongly said Mike Smith's job is not in jeopardy.

The Falcons dropped to 2-7 Sunday and a CBS report linked Jon Gruden to a potential opening in Atlanta. Dimitroff didn't want to hear it. "Mike Smith is a hell of a football coach; he's the leader of this team," the GM said. "Mike's going nowhere." Prior to this season, Smith's resume with the Falcons included a 56-24 record, two NFC South titles, a Coach of the Year award in 2008 and three straight playoff berths. He signed a three-year extension in February of 2011.

Depth Charts

Lovelocke (6'5/248) was a four-year starter for the PVAMU Panthers, completing 57.6 percent of his senior-year passes with a 16:9 TD-to-INT ratio and ten additional rushing scores. A massive quarterback with 10 1/2-inch hands and 34 1/4-inch arms, Lovelocke has ideal tight end dimensions and could get a look there after running 4.81/4.84 at his Pro Day with a 31-inch vertical and 9-foot-5 broad jump. Lovelocke isn't going to make it as a quarterback.

The Chiefs used a 2012 sixth-round pick on Gray. He appeared in 35 games the past three seasons, mainly on special teams. He's rushed for 99 career yards and one touchdown on 24 carries as the No. 3 back. Gray suffered a torn ACL in November and is now healthy enough where the Chiefs could cut him.

Copeland (5-foot-11 1/8, 271) went to LSU as a four-star defensive tackle, but converted to fullback as a true freshman and became a 22-game starter. What Copeland lacks in versatility -- he's no more than a short-yardage runner and caught seven career passes at LSU -- he makes up for with aggressive, relentless lead blocking. An extremely physical player, Copeland consistently removed linebackers from plays to clear alleys for Jeremy Hill. Dallas isn't a great landing spot for Copeland, however, due to OC Scott Linehan's pass-happy leanings.

Cardinals undrafted WR Damond Powell was shot on Friday, but did not suffer life-threatening injuries.

The incident happened in Powell's hometown of Toledo, Ohio. According to FOX10TV.com, Powell was sitting in his driveway with friends when he was shot in the face. Standing in at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, Powell is a slot prospect out of Iowa. It's unclear if he'll be ready for training camp this week.